Contact Harvest: Earth Cylon War
by Vile Twitch
Summary: In the Year 2525 the UNSC encounters a fleet of refugees fleeing their home and the once peaceful agricultural world of Harvest becomes the setting for the opening shots of the Earth Cylon war. Halo BSG2003. EDITING CHAPTERS.
1. Chapter 1

**Contact Harvest (Halo BSG) **

**Summery**: In the Year 2525 the UNSC encounters a fleet of refugees fleeing a dark enemy and the once peaceful agricultural world of Harvest becomes the setting for the opening shots of the Earth Cylon war.

Halo: February 3, 2525 (This is the date that the human Covenant war began in cannon)

BSG: Set after season two episode "The Captains hand" only events prior to this episode will be considered cannon events after this may be used

Disclaimer: Don't own Halo or BSG

**1535 hours February 3, 2525 (Military Calendar) / Epsilon Indi System, Planet Harvest, Utgard, Governors Office.**

Nils Thune governor of Harvest sat at his desk reviewing the latest estimates for this seasons crop yield in the Southern provenance of Munin. According to the report filled by Mack, the planets agricultural AI, it was looking to be a good season for a number of the planet's primary crops, that would certainly make the high ups on Earth let out a sigh of relief. With the recent actions of the Insurgents in the Epsilon Eridani system, the last thing the UNSC needed was a food shortage and a loss of productivity on Harvest could lead to possible famine on several of the outer colonies.

While small, only 4,000 kilometers in diameter slightly smaller than Mercury, Harvest was nevertheless one of the most important of the UNSC colonies.

Founded in 2468 by the UNSC Skidblandnir Harvest was the seventeenth UNSC colony and one of the most remote of the Human worlds. In little over two decades, Harvest quickly became the breadbasket of the UNSC, agriculturally out producing many of the larger colony worlds. Needless to say that if productivity on Harvest declined it could spell disaster for several human worlds.

Sipping on a small glass of steaming tea, he added his digital signature to the data packet and added it to the monthly data cache destined for Earth. It would take nearly two months for the ship caring the report to reach Earth making it paramount that the report was as accurate as possible.

A resounding knock at his office door brought the Governor out of his thoughts. Closing the files Nils called for whoever was at the door to enter.

Slowly the door opened allowing the ever-attractive Jilan al-Cygni to slip into his office and make her way over to his desk carrying a small black briefcase.

Nils eyed the official sent by the Department of Commercial Shipping to perform the tri-annual audit of Harvest's shipping wearily. While it wasn't unusually for the woman to pop in unannounced something about her demeanor was off, she was standing a little to straight, and her emerald eyes were lacking the softness they normally held.

"And what can I do for you miss al-Cygni." The governor greeted warmly as he stood to shake her hand.

Returning the age-old greeting Jilan quickly took a seat in front of the governor's desk. "There is a matter that we must discuss," she glanced briefly at the holotank next to the governor's desk, "in private."

Frowning at the woman's brusque attitude and feeling slightly nervous at her strange mannerisms Niles nevertheless acquiesced to her request and entered an override code into his computer sealing the room from eavesdroppers, human or AI. "We're alone."

Reaching into her briefcase Jilan retrieved an information storage device and without any explanation handed it to the Governor.

After waiting for an explanation that never came, Governor Thune tuned to his computer, attached the storage device, and found that it contained only a single file.

_Commander _al-Cygni watched closely as the governor opened the file containing her orders from ONI Section Three.

For several years, ONI (Office of Navel Intelligence) had been closely monitoring Harvest, fearing that because of its importance to the UNSC it could become a target or worse because of its distance from Earth a base for the Insurgents.

Lately the personal assigned to monitor Harvest had begun noticing…oddities in the finical reports filed by the Harvest planetary government, the errors were small in nature but after the terrorist bombing of the National Holiday luxury liner over Reach ONI wasn't taken any chances so they dispatched Commander al-Cygni to Harvest.

Her orders were simple, whether or not the rebels were behind the odd finical reports al-Cygni was to set up a local militia with the help of several hand picked UNSC marines to prevent any future rebel interests in Harvest.

However if rebel activity is found than the Commander was cleared to use any and all means to resolve the situation and protect the valuable crops of Harvest.

The Commander watched the governor's face closely as he read her orders watching his features go from shock to outrage.

"What is this," the governor ground out.

"I will be the one asking the questions _Mr._ Thune," reaching into her briefcase she retrieved a small holo chip and without warning stood and made her way to the AI pedestal next to the Governor. Thune watched silently as she inserted the chip into the pedestal. "Please explain this Mr. Thune." her voice was low and deadly. The crystalline matrix of the holotank glowed a deep red as it built up a charge, and began displaying the information contained within. "These photos were taking by one of the UNSC reconnaissance Corvettes dispatched to search nearby systems for any signs of rebel activity."

Learning forward Governor Thune carefully studied the holotank and the cycling images of… ships? He looked towards the Commander for an explanation.

"When I was sent here to determine if any connections between Harvest and the rebels existed ONI also dispatched several corvettes to search the surrounding systems, one of those ships came across a rather large fleet. However, before any information on this rouge fleet could be uncovered they vanished. Over the past several weeks their have been several sightings of this mysterious fleet and based on that information we have been able to extrapolate their course, Governor Thune would you please explain why there is a large fleet of unknown origin on its way here."

Governor Thune's eyes widened in shock the color drained from his face, "their coming here?"

"Governor I grow tired of this so I will ask you once and I had better like the answer. What do you know of this fleet?"

**1835 hours February 3, 2525 (Military Calendar) / Epsilon Indi System, Planet Harvest, 52 kilometers East of Utgard, Colonial Militia Barracks.**

Captain Ponder stepping carefully out of his private shower grabbed a standard issue white towel from a nearby rack and quickly began wiping the water from his hulking frame.

Captain Ponder was an imposing figure made even more imposing by his metal prosthetic arm, the original being lost to a frag grenade during a botched operation. Before his injury he had been the CO of the 9th Marine expeditionary force, 21st division in the 1st Battalion fighting the Insurrection, demoted after losing his arm the Captain was now tasked with the mission of setting up the new Harvest militia, a task he found almost as stressful as raiding an insurgent base…almost.

Throwing on a pair of sweatpants Ponder made his way to his office to retrieve one of his Sweet William Cigars, one of the few joys he allowed himself.

Halting in the doorway to his office Ponder was surprised to find the chair behind his desk occupied.

"Commander," he said coming to attention, "if I had known you were here I would have thrown a shirt on.

A faint smile torched the Lieutenant's lip, "If I had a problem with half naked men I would have never joined the military, please have a seat Captain."

"How did your meeting with the Governor go," he asked taking a seat.

"It was… unproductive," she sighed, "Thune claims to know nothing of the incoming fleet."

"Do you believe him?"

"Yes, he is far too emotional of a man to be a good liar."

"If I may ask where does that leave us?" Captain Ponder dared to venture.

"In a very bad place," she answered after some time, "the way I see it that fleet is coming for one of two reasons. The first and best possibility is the rebels have amassed it to perform what could be one of the largest raids in UNSC history."

"That's the best possibility," Ponder asked skeptically.

"The other," Commander al-Cygni continued ignoring the interruption, "is that they plan to seize the planet itself, if they entrench it could take months or years to retake the planet. While a raid would cause tremendous harm, a siege by the UNSC on an entrenched rebel force with space capabilities would be devastating to a planet and that's not even taking into account the PR mess it would cause. We were able to cover up the bombing of the National Holiday but there is no way in the nine hells that we could cover up something this large."

"Shit." Ponder swore.

"That about sums it up Captain. HIGHCOM is aware of the situation and is dispatching several warships but we're starched thin at the moment so it could take some time till they arrive."

"So we have no star side assets for the foreseeable future," Ponder asked gravely.

"We have a few." The Commander muttered as she pilfered one of the man's cigars from his desk and offered him one as well.

"Ma'am?" he asked taking the offered cigar.

"The six Corvettes that found the fleet are waiting on the edge of the system." She answered striking a match to light the cigar; absentmindedly she tossed the matches to Ponder.

"Ma'am I know I don't need to point this out but Corvettes aren't built for heavy fighting, they don't even boast a MAC and that incoming fleet has nearly 75 ships."

"True they can't stop them but hopefully they'll be able to slow them down." She replied letting the cigar smoke roll across her tongue.

"I don't see how they won't get within 100,000 kilometers before their spotted and destroyed." Ponder was more than surprised when she smirked at him.

"You're assuming that they'll be spotted, these aren't your standard Mako-class corvettes, they're Prowler-class."

"Prowler-class?" Despite spending nearly his entire life in the service he had never heard of a Prowler-class corvette before

"It's ONI and the details are classified, but to put it simply a Prowler-class is only seen when it wants to be."

_ONI of course._ He thought. "Do you want me to wake Johnson and Byrne let them know what's going on?"

Commander al-Cygni fell silent pulling the cigar from her mouth to study the burning embers at the end. "No let them sleep we'll inform them in the morning. Which reminds me how are those two getting along?"

"Their professionals and while off duty they're more than likely to bash each others skulls when the bullets start to fly, they both know where their responsibilities lie."

"Good."

"What about Mack and Sif?"

"Out of the loop at the moment."

"Those two won't be happy when they find out."

"It can't be helped, the fewer people who know at the moment the better. If word got out it could cause a panic, and there is something else something you haven't been told."

Ponder leaned forward in his chair, "and that is?"

"When the ships vanished the first time the corvette that saw them got a clear reading on the energy output generated by the jump, it doesn't match anything in our database."

Ponder waited silently knowing there was more.

"As you now when a ship enters slipspace it gives off a very distinctive energy reading an energy reading that doesn't even come close to matching what those ships gave off. Which opens up a completely new can of worms for us. Either the Rebels are using a new jump system or they're not rebels."

"Not rebels," Ponder asked disbelievingly, "we already discounted the possibility that we stumbled on a black bag project of ONI so who could they be."

"Not who what."

"Wha… you don't mean little green men," seeing the look on her face he knew he hit the nail on the head, "shit now I know why you gave me the cigar." Captain Ponder took a long deep drag on his cigar before leaning back in his chair and exhaling forming several perfect smoke rings that slowly drifted up to the ceiling before disappearing entirely.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Startled Ponder returned his attention to Jilan who was retrieving a data pad from her jacket pocket. He watched on as her formally stoic face transformed into one of worry.

"Is something wrong Commander?"

"You could say that wake Johnson and Byrne we need to meet with the governor."

**1816 hours February 3, 2525 (Military Calendar) / Epsilon Indi System Outskirts, Prowler-Class** **Corvette, UNSC Stalker, Captain ****Regan Burns.**

Your standard Mako-class wasn't much to look at, only 162 meters long it is the smallest active warship employed by the UNSC, lacking a MAC and high maintenance cost lead many within the UNSC to argue that the vessel should be retired. Yet despite its shortcomings, the UNSC has yet to retire the class publicly claiming that the cost of replacing the vessels would be too costly. To truth, however was that ONI that put a stop to decommission of the Mako-class. The reason the Office of Navel Intelligence wished for the continued use of the Mako-class was the true purpose of the Mako-class was to allow ONI to hide their spy fleet from the public.

Outwardly, the Prowler looked identical to the Mako in all aspects. This has allowed the ONI for years to hide their secret fleet of spy ships in plain sight, but if the Mako-class was retired the amenity it provided to the shadowy organization would be gone, and so the Mako-class remained for the sole purpose of hiding the Prowlers.

"Ma'am sensors just recorded an energy spike matching the unknowns; I'm picking up an unknown craft 300,000 kilometers from our current position."

"Have we been detected?" Commander Burns asked.

"We are still running silent and the unknown hasn't reacted to our presence… hold on unknown is moving in system heading for Harvest."

"Show me the unknown."

"Yes Ma'am."

A moment later, the forward command screen that up until now had been displaying the crest of the UNSC displayed the sensor profile of the unknown.

"That's it," Commander Burns said shocked, "it can't be any more than ten meters long, no ship that small can enter slipstream, tactical report."

"I'm sorry ma'am but at this range and with passive sensors I can't get anything more than its profile."

"Damn it," she muttered to low for the rest of the crew to hear, "Helm get us closer but do it quietly."

"Aye ma'am."

**Colonial Raptor**

"Jump complete, what have you got." Lt. Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson said.

"Hang on a minute will ya," Lieutenant Hamish "Skulls" McCall replied from the back of the Raptor "I only just started scanning so… whoa."

"Skulls," Racetrack asked tighten her grip on the flight stick.

"There's a planet in the liquid water zone and I'm picking up radio singles."

"Cylons?"

"Negative singles don't match, hold on… I'm picking up some form of superstructure in orbit whatever it is it big, but readings are pretty fuzzy at this range we'll need to get closer."

"Than that's what we'll do." Racetrack replied firing up the engines.

"What shouldn't we report back?"

"We're here to scout so let's scout."


	2. Chapter 2

**Contact Harvest: Earth Cylon War**

**Summery**: In the Year 2525 the UNSC encounters a fleet of refugees fleeing a dark enemy and the once peaceful agricultural world of Harvest becomes the setting for the opening shots of the Earth Cylon war.

Disclaimer: Don't own Halo or BSG

**Battlestar Galactica, Pilot's Briefing Room**

"So you decided to investigate the planet." Admiral William Adama asked. Next to him sat President of the Twelve Colonies Laura Roslin, Adama's XO Saul Tigh, and Commander of the battlestar Pegasus Lee Adama. All eyes were currently on the Raptor pilot at the podium Racetrack.

"Yes Admiral I felt that it would be in the best interest of the fleet to gather as much information on the planet as possible."

"Lieutenant," President Laura Roslin asked, "at this point where there any signs of Cylon activity."

"Negative ma'am."

"So you proceeded in system."

"Yes sir, due to the large construct in orbit I felt it best to move in quietly using only minimum power. It took some time but we where able to close within a two million kilometers of the planet, I didn't dare risk getting any closer."

"What can you tell us of the planet," Commander Adama asked.

"As you can see here," Racetrack said pointing to the image of the planet behind her, "it's small only about 4,000 kilometers with very little surface water and most of that is locked up in two large seas, despite the lack of water however it appeared very fertile with little land mass covered by deserts. The really interesting thing however was what we found in orbit."

"Explain," Admiral Adama ordered.

"There was a space station, big one too, almost as large as the central hub of the Scorpion shipyard. A number of ships were docking with it…"

"Did you recognize the ships?" Commander Adama interrupted.

"If your asking were they Cylon than no they didn't match any Cylon design I know of and to be honest from what I could see they didn't appear to be armed, we managed to take a number of pictures before we picked up a sensor ghost closing on."

"Sensor ghost?"

"It the best way I can describe it ma'am. We picked it up about 50,000 kilometers out, it looked like a sensor echo and DRADIS just couldn't seem to lock on to it."

"How do you know it wasn't just a sensor echo?"

"Because it was constant I even altered course slightly and it had no affect on the ghost."

"Then what?"

"For all I knew I was it the sights of some form of stealth craft so I jumped out of there."

"You did the right thing Lieutenant, you're dismissed"

"Thank you sir," Racetrack saluted and quickly exited the briefing room.

"Earth," Roslin whispered just loud enough for the others to hear.

"Or it could be a fraking Cylon base," Tigh counted.

"Then where are the basestars," Lee countered.

"Don't tell me you're buying this Earth crap."

"It's not 'crap' its fate," Roslin responded angrily.

"Let's say your right and this is Earth, well all I can say is we came a long ways for nothing."

"What does that mean?" Lee demanded.

"Look at the recon photos sure it's a nice planet and all but it seems be lacking something very important."

"And what is that?" Roslin asked.

"Guns, it's going to take the Cylon's five minutes to nuke that place into oblivion." That sobering thought brought the heated debate to a close.

"We could just move on, bypass the planet completely," Lee offered.

"Wouldn't work," Admiral Adama said causing the others to jump slightly, so caught up in their argument they had forgetting he was there. "The Cylons know we're in this region of space and will be searching for us it's only logical that they'll find this planet if they don't already know about it."

"Still theirs at least a chance," Lee retorted.

"If we did that," Roslin said, "We should all hand in our resignations to the Quorum right now, with the way Racetrack showed up blaring over wireless to anyone who would listen about the planet she found half the fleet must be aware of it by now. This is just the type of thing Baltar could use to push his campaign for the Presidency."

"Politicians," Tigh muttered a little too loudly.

"Admiral," Roslin continued ignoring Tigh's snide remark, "your thoughts?"

"I agree that this planet is too great an opportunity to pass up but we must approach it cautiously, in the event that it is some form of Cylon outpost the fleet along with the Pegasus will jump to a point well outside of the system. I'll jump the Galactica to the systems and determine if the planet is hostile."

"Sir perhaps the Pegasus would be a better choice," Lee commented.

"No the Pegasus is still damaged from the Cylon assault, and until repairs are complete we can't risk sending her into such a potentially dangerous situation."

"If that's all, I'll return to Colonial One and inform the fleet, Lee you always look good for the cameras care to join me?"

"It sounded like a request but knowing Roslin it wasn't so after a quick salute to his father he left with the President.

"What's so funny?" Adama asked seeing the smirk on his friends face.

"I just remembered what's worse than politicians."

"What's that?"

"Reporters."

**0952 hours February 4, 2525 (Military Calendar) / Epsilon Indi System, High Orbit Harvest, Prowler-Class** **Corvette, UNSC Stalker, Captain ****Regan Burns.**

"Our best estimate puts the fleet arrival in two days, I want you to form your squadron up around the Tiara, the station has been evacuated and shipments halted,"

"That had to cause quite a stir on the planet below," Commander Burns said. Sitting in her quarters, she watched the holographic image of the Commander al-Cygni in front of her. Despite being the same rank as al-Cygni, Commander Burns lacked seniority, so had to defer to the orders of al-Cygni. "Do they know why the Tiara has been evacuated?"

"At the moment we're saying that the station's reactor scrammed for an unknown reason and as a precaution the station needed to be evacuated."

"That's only going to fly so long as those ships stay out of orbit."

"We'll deal with that when the time comes, now have the packages been delivered?"

"They're in the mail and just need to be opened."

"Have you been able to determine anything about the intruder?"

"We have been reviewing the sensor logs and all I can confirm is that the unknown didn't enter slipspace, at least anyway we know how to enter it."

"Understood, I have a meeting with the Governor, al-Cygni out." The small holographic image on her desk vanished.

Captain Burns waited several moments before opening the lower drew of her desk and pulling out a small flask, she examined the golden liquid within before finally sighing and returning it to its hiding place. "Why do I get the feeling these aren't rebels?"

**1025 hours February 4, 2525 (Military Calendar) / Epsilon Indi System, Planet Harvest, Utgard, Governors Office.**

"The press is eating me alive," Governor Thune swore, "the shutdown of the Tiara is completely unacceptable, the farmers union is up in arms, do you have any idea how much this stoppage is costing the planet?"

With less than two days until the unknown fleet's arrival tension was running high especially for Harvest's Minnesota-born Governor. Thune paced nervously under the guarded gazes of Commander Jilanal-Cygni, Captain Ponder, and Ponder's two staff Sergeants Avery Johnson and Nolan Byrne.

"Boy you need to calm down you're going to get an ulcer," Johnson remarked pulling out a cigar and a match to light it.

"Don't light that in here," Thune snapped.

Johnson eyed the man a moment before striking the match and lighting his cigar; he really had to remember to thank Ponder for introducing him to the Sweet Williams brand.

The Governor was less then amused by Johnson's antics, and if looks could kill than he'd be a red smear on the wall by now.

"Evacuating the Tiara was unavoidable," Captain Ponder said as he interceded himself between the two men. The last thing Ponder wanted was to explain to the higher-ups why one of he was forced to restrain a planetary governor who was trying to eviscerate one of his Staff Sergeants. "The Tiara isn't built to stand up to the demands a battle will place it under, and while it won't suddenly fall from orbit if hit it would cause the station to decompress and kill anyone onboard."

"You told me you had six warships in orbit certainly those can provide protection for the station," Thune snapped at al-Cygni.

"We have six corvettes and even as we speak their forming up around the Tiara," Commander al-Cygni replied, "but their armaments are limited."

"Limited," Thune ground out, "you gave a very different impression when we spoke earlier, and I'm beginning to wonder if you ever speak straight, Commander."

"Governor Thune, everything the can be done to protect Harvest is being done," Captain Ponder replied.

"And why should I believe you? From the moment you people arrived here y…"

"Enough!" Time was short and the Commander was done playing nice, "Governor I did not come here to listen to you rant and rave about a legitimate UNSC operation. Now have you done as I asked and begun preparing Utgard for possible invasion?"

Commander al-Cygni knew she was taking a risk talking to a planetary governor in such a way but she had the backing of ONI and they wouldn't allow even a planetary governor to mess with their operations.

"Yesss." he hissed, "Mack's handling the details but with such short notice it will be difficult to have all the shelters ready in time."

"Now you know how the lady feels," Johnson muttered, earning a disapproving look from Ponder.

"Make sure you're ready to evacuate everyone to the civilian populace to the shelters at a moments notice, we'll likely to have very little warning in the event of an attack."

"There's still the matter of those who don't live in the city over a quarter of the population is spread out all over the planet on farms."

"Governor in all likelihood they are too small a target and will be fine where they are."

"You don't know that Commander, inform the public than we can evacuate the people to the shelters."

"We have been over this before. The last thing we need at this point is a panicked public so until _I_ deem otherwise they will remain in the dark, understand Governor?"

"Perfectly Commander."


	3. Chapter 3

**Contact Harvest: Earth Cylon War**

**Summery**: In the Year 2525 the UNSC encounters a fleet of refugees fleeing a dark enemy and the once peaceful agricultural world of Harvest becomes the setting for the opening shots of the Earth Cylon war.

Disclaimer: Don't own Halo or BSG

**AN: **Previous chapters have been edited. (Burns and al-Cygni are now **both** Commanders with al-Cygni being the senior officer) (I know its not Cannon but it works better this way)

**AN2:** Also some might still not like how al-Cygni spoke down to the governor despite her change in rank, but remember she has the backing of ONI, these are the people who abducted six year olds for the Spartan program, I don't think they'd have a problem _dealing _with a planetary governor. (In the book, al-Cygni shot him at one point with training rounds so I don't think she is to intimidated by his office.)

**AN3: **In respect to the Prowler class corvette, I'm removing their pulse lasers because the time frame on it is lacking so I'm going with the assumption that the installment of the lasers was post contact with the Covenant. Their armament is going to be conventional guns (aka bullets)

**1352 hours February 6, 2525 (Military Calendar) / Epsilon Indi System, Harvest,**** Geosynchronous Orbit****, Tiara.**

The Tiara was a source of pride for all of Harvest's citizens, the planet's main spaceport; the Tiara was made of two independent rectangular shaped arcs, each four kilometers long and 300 meters wide, separated by the carbon nano-fiber strands making up the planet's seven space elevators. Located between the third and fourth elevator strands was a large central hub, the hub provided the main thoroughfare between the two sections. The hubs lower levels were restricted as it contained the data core of the stations AI Sif.

Sif was one of two AI's charged with overseeing Harvest. While Mack oversaw the growing and harvesting of Harvest's crops, Sif was in charge of raising the produce into to orbit on one of the seven space elevators and the loading of it onto waiting cargo ships. Other then dealing with the oddly flirtatious AI Mack she had come to love her job and working with the people of Harvest.

Sif watched uneasily through the Tiara's external cameras as four UNSC corvettes moved into position around her station. Since the Tiara's construction in 2468, this was the first time any UNSC warship had come this close. The corvettes lacked any of the larger armaments of the frontline UNSC ships but still their duel 50mm auto cannons were more than capable of piercing the fragile hull of the Tiara.

She knew, as an AI it was foolish to worry about the effects of the corvettes guns on the Tiara's hull but as the human mind was the original template for hers and all other AI's core programming it was impossible for her to override the irrational fears.

She absentmindedly noticed her core temperature had risen .02 degrees since the arrival of the warships, had her avatar been active she would have frowned, she increased coolant flow through her processors to counteract the effects of her errant emotions.

The needs of her core seen to, Sif attention turned to the rapidly approaching space elevator, onboard which was the women in charge of Harvest's defense, Commander al-Cygni, Sif's feelings on the Commander were mixed. Her interactions with the recently revealed Commander had always been pleasant and the woman's business attitude and attention to detail had been quiet refreshing, however Sif couldn't help but feel slighted at being left out of the loop about the threat they now faced. She understood the need for secrecy but it still left a sour taste in her mouth, if she had a mouth of course.

Commander Jilan al-Cygni exited the passenger compartment of the space elevator making her way quickly into the station stopping in the elevators terminal when Sif's avatar appeared.

All AI's upon their creation chose a physical representation as a better way to interact with their human creators. Sif's chosen avatar was that of a young woman dressed in a sleeveless sunset colored gown with long golden hair reaching down to the middle of her back.

"Commander I trust your ride was pleasant." Sif asked genuinely concerned.

"It was." al-Cygni replied fixing a few strands of hair that had falling out of place during the rapid acceleration and deceleration of the elevator. "Your handling of the strands is impressive.

"Thank you ma'am, shall I send for you shuttle."

"Yes, the sooner I get on board the Stalker the better; I need to speak to Commander Burns."

"Understood Commander, I'll contact the Stalker immediately, would you like something to drink while you wait I can send for a service bot."

"That will not be necessary."

Jilan started to head for one of the nearby hanger bays only to stop as Sif called out in alarm.

"Commander! I've just detected an energy spike matching the unknowns."

Jilan whirled around to stare at the AI's avatar "What confirm that."

"I've already queried the Stalker, they detected it… a single ship has just appeared on sensors, distance two million kilometers."

"Only two million, damn, cancel the shuttle, there isn't time for me to get to the Stalker, I'll command from your data center." Not waiting for the Sif's reply Jilan ran out the door, having been on the station several times in the past she already knew the way.

Entering her personal security code Jilan entered the control room for the Tiara ordering Sif to hail the Stalker before the door even closed behind her.

One of several holographic panels activated showing Commander Burns strapped into her command chair onboard the UNSC Stalker.

"Status Commander" Jilan order.

"A single ship two million kilometers out, closing slowly, it appears to be some type of carrier, we've just detected the launch of twenty smaller craft. Ma'am the ship its big roughly 1400 meters."

"1400 meters," Jilan whispered, "that's bigger than a Marathon cruiser, Commander have they giving any signs they have detected the other Prowlers?"

"If they have they've giving no sign, and there is some good news ma'am."

And that is," Jilan asked.

"While they have appeared much closer then we expected they're still coming in along the expected vector meaning…"

"Meaning their going to pass right through our minefield." Jilan finished.

"Minefield," Sif interrupted, "what minefield?"

"All Prowler-class corvettes are equipped with a dozen HORNET mines each with a yield of thirty megatons."

"Thirty megatons," Sif whispered her avatar's eyes widening as her data core dropped a whole degree, "You…You've deployed nuclear weapons around the Tiara."

Jilan didn't miss the AI's stuttering, something rarely seen in AIs, she knew what it meant, Sif was scared, Harvest's AI just wasn't built to handle military action. _I'll have to keep an eye on her_, Jilan thought.

"I apologize for keeping you in the dark, but we were still unsure if there is a rebel presence on Harvest or not, even an AI can be compromised," Jilan explained, "but don't worry the field is far enough away that the detonations won't affect the station, but at this point I'm not sure if we should use them."

"What do you mean not use them, there's no way my corvettes can go up against that." Commander Burns said.

"I know but there are more ships then just that one and if we destroy it with the mines the others will know and adjust there tactics to counter the mines, we were expecting them all at once."

"Then what do we do?"

"Ma'am," Sif interrupted before Jilan could respond, "I'm picking up a signal from the unknown, looks like they want to talk," Sif smiled.

"Or they want to ask for our surrender," Commander Burns offered.

"Perfect," Jilan suddenly said, "I have an idea."

**Battlestar Galactica, CIC**

"All fighters have been launched," Tigh announced.

"Any response to our hails," Admiral Adama asked.

"Negative Admiral I'm repeating the message on all colonial frequencies," The Galactica's Communication Officer Lieutenant Louis Hoshi replied.

"DRADIS contacts," Adama asked.

"Four ships, they've taken up a defensive position around the station Racetrack found." Lieutenant Felix Gaeta responded.

"Only three, seems you were right about their defenses Colonel Tigh."

"Madam President I still think it would have been better if you had remained with the fleet." Adama admonished.

Roslin sent the Admiral a small smile, "I know Admiral but if they are human I think they'd prefer to talk with a civilian and not just our military, no offense."

"None taking, but as we agreed I'll in initiate communications then hand it of to you," Adama replied.

"It's a good plan," Tigh said, "but they don't seem very talkative,"

"True Colonel, but how do we know they are even receiving our hails," Roslin said.

Adama eyed the President a moment before looking towards Lieutenant Hoshi. "Anything?"

"Negative sir."

"Transmit on _all_ frequencies not just colonial standard."

"Aye sir."

Another two minutes passed as the crew of the Galactica waited for any response, friendly or hostile.

"Sir," Lieutenant Hoshi exclaimed, "there responding, transferring it to your station."

"Here we go," Admiral Adam replied, removing the black handset from its secure holster and raising it up to his face. "This is Admiral Adama of the Battlestar Galactica, to whom am I speaking."

Several seconds of static passed before a richly accented female voice replied.

"This is Commander al-Cygni of the UNSC. Admiral you are violating UNSC controlled space, as such, I demand you recall your fighters and stand down at once, if you do not comply it will be considered an act of war against the UNSC and I will be forced to take unpleasant steps to secure our space."

Adama frowned at the response he received, while he'd give her points for bravado, from what he was seeing on his DRADIS readout she really wasn't in a position to make veiled threats. "Commander, I assure you that our intentions are not hostile."

"Then recall your fighters," Commander al-Cygni demanded.

"The fighters are merely a defensive measure Commander one I will be more then willing to recall when I know more about you."

"Admiral perhaps I haven't made myself clear. Either you recall your fighters and stand down or I'll detonate the three nuclear mines now magnetically attached to your hull."


	4. Sorry

Sorry this fic is dead but I have just posted a new one for those of you that liked it that gets it inspiration from this one. Again it's a Halo BSG cross It has a very similar name so don't be confused. Hope you like the new one.


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